Homeless Adults

More people slept at Ventura County warming shelters this winter than at any other time in the past five years, underscoring the need for permanent shelters, advocates say. Before winter emergency shelters closed in March, advocates estimated the county's total number of homeless people at more than 3,000, a substantial increase from last year's estimate of 1,300. Volunteers surveyed 295 homeless adults at the county's seven shelters on the night of Feb. 22.

Portals House Inc. plans to provide a new semi-supervised residential and outreach program for chronically mentally ill homeless adults with a $218,024 contract approved recently by the county Board of Supervisors. The agency will lease 14 two-bedroom apartments in the Santa Monica area that will be rented to participants for about $550 a month, according to Supervisor Deane Dana. The agency staff will provide supervision as needed, officials said.

A new building at the Hillview Mental Health Center that offers services for homeless adults with severe mental disabilities was celebrated with an opening ceremony Monday. The building actually opened in February, but officials waited until Monday to celebrate. "We wanted to be up and running before having this event," said Eva McCraven, Hillview executive director. "We are full, with 15 people living there now."

A new building that offers services for homeless adults with severe mental disabilities opened at the Hillview Mental Health Center in February, but officials waited until Monday to celebrate the new facility with a ceremony. "We wanted to be up and running before having this event," said Eva McCraven, Hillview executive director. "We are full, with 15 people living there now."

Disneyland is accepting applications through Friday for the theme park's 1995 Community Service Awards program. Since 1957, Disneyland has given more than $4 million to nonprofit organizations in Orange County through the program. Selecting the winners will be a committee of six community leaders, headed by Peggy Goldwater Clay, chairman of the board of Goldwater's Foods of Arizona.

A shelter capable of helping up to six homeless young adults at a time has opened. "It's exciting to see that we can make a contribution in these young adults' lives," said Gilbert Gonzales, program director. Known as Orangewood House, the shelter will include a licensed clinical worker and staff members to provide computer training and other classes.

As other cities slashed cash payments to their homeless populations in recent years, San Francisco held out, living up to its national image as a city of compassion and tolerance. But buffeted by the dot-com collapse and other economic woes, many San Franciscans today see themselves as America's last soft touch. Some say the city's reputation for generosity has made it a magnet for street dwellers, whose numbers fluctuate between 7,000 and 10,000.

The UCLA School of Medicine has received $607,975 for a major study of health care and the homeless. The grant from the U.S. Public Health Service will be used to study 480 homeless adults in two areas of Los Angeles. According to a school official, the study is intended to provide greater understanding of factors that prevent the homeless from seeking health treatment. The study will also help health-care providers determine how best to meet the needs of the growing number of homeless.

Recently, The Times reported that Los Angeles County paid attorneys very well for the service of fighting increases in General Relief benefits. And now, The Times reports that Gov. Wilson would like to transfer more health and welfare programs to the counties (April 25). How can we trust counties to administer these programs in a responsible manner when counties such as Los Angeles spend tax funds on combatting legitimate, fundamental improvements in programs that are already under the county's jurisdiction?